Ice Cold
by WittyPiglet
Summary: Reiner and Jean go ice skating. Only for it to go horribly wrong. Part 3 of the Roommates series.
1. Cold

**Cold**

Jean loved winter, surprisingly. He loved the holidays, he loved the gorgeous snow, the warmth of cuddling by a roaring fire with delicious homemade hot chocolate courtesy of Bertholdt clutched in his hands. He just loved the season and everything that came with it.

Especially the ice skating.

Their apartment happened to be nearby the local park that had a beautiful lake which froze over every winter. Kids and teens would show up after school to skate on the frozen surface and couples later in the day when the sun was setting and the children were running home to get warmed up and drink cocoa.

It had taken Jean weeks, literally, to get one of the others to go skating with him. And the victim just happened to be Reiner. Marco and Bertholdt were just too damn good at saying no the man's puppy dog eyes, but Reiner was week to them and everyone knew it.

"Hurry up Reiner!" Glee was etched across Jean's face in a way that made Reiner's heart flutter.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!"

Bertholdt and Marco chuckled from where they sat curled up on the couch, drinking homemade cocoa and watching one of Bertholdt's favorite cooking shows.

"Have fun kids!" Marco grinned and Jean stuck his tongue out at them.

"Be home before dark!" Bertholdt blew a teasing kiss and they all laughed before Reiner was literally dragged out of their apartment and down the stairs. They didn't bother taking one of their cars seeing as the park was literally just around the corner. They walked, hand-hand-hand, with Reiner carrying both sets of skates in his other hand. The cold nipped at their noses and cheeks, but neither seemed to mind much.

Few children and the occasional adult or couple were still skating around the lake. Laughter and cries of joy filled the air and brought smiles to Jean and Reiner's faces. They shared a look before quickly sitting on a cold park bench right next to the lake and switching their winter boots in for their skates. Jean had laughed as he had to help Reiner onto the ice. The big guy sure didn't balance great.

* * *

It had taken awhile but Reiner had slowly begun to gain his balance and skate pretty darn well. Not as well as Jean or some of the other skaters, but well enough that he didn't fall on his ass every other second. The lake was quiet large, giving people plenty of room to skate around without bumping into someone and hurting them. But, despite there not being many people, Reiner lost sight of Jean after he ate Ice once again.

He stopped his skating and his eyes rove over the lake, trying to catch sight of ash blonde on dark hair. He wasn't too worried, Jean could take care of himself, that is until he heard a woman scream and a crowd form around something on the ice. Reiner couldn't see what it was, there were too many people but worry nagged at him as he skated towards the crowd.

That's when his blood turned to ice in his veins.

Above the crowd there was a dark green scarf floating in the breeze without a care in the world.

The exact same scarf that Jean had worn every single winter. The exact same scarf that he himself had given Jean as a Christmas gift in high school.

Reiner forced his way through the crowd, barely registering people yelling for someone to call 911 and stared in horror at a large hole in the ice. The inky black water lapped over the jagged sides and Reiner knew...He knew Jean had fallen throw.

He didn't hesitate.

Reiner never hesitated when it came to the people he loved.

The blonde man dove straight into the hole without a second thought. Ice cold water chilled him to the bone the second he was submerged, but he didn't care. He just kept swimming straight down, looking for _ANY_ sign of him. His hair, his clothes, his skates. _ANYTHING._

Reiner's lungs burned for air but he pressed on.

THERE!

He could barely see it, but the shiny silver of a skate shone in the darkness just a few feet below him. Reiner dove forward, gripping the blade and dragging it up until he could find a leg and then a torso and then an arm.

Relief flooded Reiner, but it was short lived as the meed to breathe became even more apparent. With a new burst of strength he gripped his lover in his arms and began hauling him up, up towards the bright light of the bright sun shining through the hole in the ice.

That first breathe of air as he emerged, gasping for air, from the water was the sweetest thing he's ever experienced. Reiner pushed Jean up and someone helped pull the unconscious man out of the water before helping Reiner up. The cold, biting pain he felt was excruciating, but Reiner cared little about himself as he dropped next to Jean and laid his head on the man's chest.

A heart beat.

Barely.

Jean wasn't breathing.

Sirens in the distance.

Things kept flashing in Reiner's brain one at a time as if the ice had frozen it. But the fact remained...Jean wasn't _breathing!_

Reiner pinched Jean's nose and breathed harshly into his mouth. He stopped and did compressions against the unmoving chest.

 _1_

 _2_

 _3_

Breathe!

 _1_

 _2_

 _3_

Breathe!

 _1_

 _2_

 _3_

Breathe...

Finally, when after people tried to urge him to stop. Telling him it was too late. He was gone...A harsh coughing and choking noise filled the air. Reiner pulled back and stared with tears in his eyes at Jean as he coughed up lungfulls of the icy liquid. Weak eyes stared at watering ones and a small smile flitted across blue lips.

"Out of the way! The paramedics are here!"

* * *

Marco was waiting on the couch for Bertholdt to return with more of his delicious hot chocolate when the home phone rang. It didn't seem too odd to raven as he stood and answered it.

"Hello?"

A few minutes passed and Bertholdt stuck his head out of the kitchen, holding two mugs of cocoa. "Who is it Marco?"

The phone hit the floor.

"Marco? Hey Marco!" The freckled man was struggling to pull his coat on and rushing around when Bertl caught a glimpse of his face. There were tears coating his horrified face. It was then that Bertholdt knew something horrific must have happened. "Mar-"

"It's Jean." And two mugs were shattered on the ground with hot chocolate staining the rug.

* * *

Reiner sat with his head in his hands, one bandaged. He hadn't even realized until after they got to the hospital and Jean was taken into the emergency room that he had cut his hand badly when gripping the blade of Jean's skate. He refused to leave the waiting room and a kind nurse had offered to take care of it while he sat.

Reiner's leg was bouncing and more than a few people were giving him annoyed looks but none said anything.

He was going to be okay. Jean was going to be okay. He had to be.

"Reiner!" His head snapped up in time to see Marco and Bertholdt barreling towards him. It was Bertholdt that had called out his name. "What happened exactly."

And Reiner told them everything as they sat and waited for two excruciatingly long hours to hear about Jean.

Marco was sniffling against Reiner's shoulder as a doctor showed up finally and called out Jean's name. Immediately all three of them stood and the doctor looked taken aback.

"You'll be glad to know that Mr. Kirstein is going to be okay." Sighs of relief escaped each of them. "He had suffered severe hypothermia from the length of time he spent in the water but we have been able to help with that. We have given him some pain medicine for now and you can take him home today as soon as you fill out his paperwork. When you take him home, be gentle in the way you touch him and make sure your home is nice and warm. I recommend keeping him covered in blankets to prevent anymore chills and monitor his breathing if he is asleep, just as a precaution. Give him plenty of warm beverages and finally don't use direct heat like a heating pad. Understood?" They took in each and every word like it was water and they were in the desert.

Each of them nodded and Marco took the clipboard from the doctor to begin filling out Jean's paperwork. It took a mere matter of minutes and the doctor took it back, glancing over it with a nod.

"Good, everything seems to be in order. You may go up and see him and get him ready to leave then. I'll show you to his room."


	2. Warmth

**Warmth**

Jean was still shivering when they helped him up the apartment building stairs. Well, more like Reiner carried him up the stairs. An occasional whimpered left tinted blue lips. They were almost back to their perfect pink color thank God. Bertholdt quickly unlocked the door and held it open so Reiner could take Jean inside and lay him on their couch. He was shaking and Marco had run to get warm, heavy blankets and Bertholdt disappeared into the kitchen.

Reiner sat down and pulled his cold lover onto his lap, wrapping large muscled arms around his shaking body. Jean nuzzled against him and buried his face in Reiner's chest. He still felt as if he was surrounded by the icy cold lake water. He sniffled and sneezed quietly.

They sat like that until Marco returned with bundles of warm blankets and Bertholdt emerge from the kitchen with a tray of his delicious hot chocolate. Blankets were wrapped around them all and mugs of cocoa were passed around. Jean still didn't leave Reiner's lap. He sat there, curled up against Reiner, with a blanket around them and his hot chocolate clenched in his hands like a lifeline.

Marco and Bertholdt curled up on either side of Reiner with their own blankets and drinks and often whispered comforting and soothing words to the shaken man. Reiner kissed his head and Marco turned on the TV. He putting on a cute, fluffy seasonal movie and they all cuddled together on the couch to watch. The warmth that Jean now felt was like heaven compared to what he's been through. He never thought that cuddling and drinking cocoa and being doted on could feel so good.

Jean was a typically independent man, he didn't like to rely on others, but this felt nice. Letting them care for him and coddle him. He never felt so loved then in that moment. His frozen body was warming between them and Jean let a happy sigh escape his lips.

"I love you guys."

A chorus of replies was all he heard before drifting off into slumber.


End file.
